Arizona

I have been going to this wild desert city since I was a small girl to see my grandparents. They decided that after years and years of living in the interior of Alaska that it was time to move somewhere that didn’t have a winter; and they definitely don’t!

I made a trek to Papago Park on a visit I did this spring to see my near and dear old college roommates. It was a place that I somehow failed to visit while I attended ASU in Tempe in 2012. The access to the park is super easy to find and is located close to both Tempe and Phoenix.

Get ready to gain some elevation with this one, and in the heat to boot! On the way up Camelback Mountain, you will gain nearly 1,200 feet in elevation. The hike took me about 2 hours in the heat, so I would guess somewhere around that for time frame.